You can eliminate the boredom, learn the game, and do well overall if you join a good player-ran corporation (guild/clan). Check the official forums for corps as well as joining the channel in-game. Just be wary of scammers who lure you to their system to blow you up and take your stuff. Great game! :)

I had a room-mate who tried "playing" it for several months and eventually gave up on it since a lot of the time it seemed like he wasted going from one place to another (travel time) and didn't really do much when he got to where he was going

I haven't played in a while. I'll probably get back into it when early winter arrives. I do mining and salvage mostly. The last time I gave up, I was toying with cloaked ships. Nice way to get around in lo-sec without getting blown up. I have yet to venture into 0-sec.

a lot of people say the majority of the game is o-sec :) Its a whole nother game out there. its like the wild west, with alliances, and enemy alliances, huge amounts of money available to be made, and some sweet ore for those willing to risk getting it. Now with wormhole space, which they added last expansion, the risk/gain is even more.